Story:Rain's Ascent
From of old I was poured forth, At the first, aside the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains or springs of water; Before the mountains were settled into place, Before the hills, I was brought forth; While as yet the skies and sea were not bound, Nor the first life of the world. I marked out the vault over the face of the deep; I made firm the ceiling of the skies above, I set for the world its limit, From the sea and sky I embraced the barren land. I found truth in the foundations of the earth, I found beauty in the branching of life, I found love in the dreams of the human race. - Virga, Verse 1 Chapters *Chapter 1 *Chapter 2 Characters /Characters World The world of Rain's Ascent is a single continent comprised of a central, nearly circular highlands area that connects three elongated peninsulas that radiate to the west, northeast, and southeast. Technologically, the world can be seen as being developed to the point of an early 19th century Western civilization, at the advent of gunpowder and the steam engine. Such technology has very limited implementation and is only found at the core urban areas; the majority of the world remains in an almost medieval state. Ilocos The mountainous central region of the continent, unclaimed by any government and sparse in population. A natural barrier to movement between the three peninsulas, Ilocos is an area of jagged and unpredictable terrain. The sources of several important rivers are found here, though the land is much too rough for meaningful agriculture. Ilocos does not have any large settlements to speak of, as most of the population is found in the outer ring, where the land is considerably more tame. Even so, these people usually hail from the nations of the three peninsulas, and are military or merchant groups seeking to secure their borders or attempt dangerous trading expeditions to other nations. The only "true" inhabitants of Ilocos are various nomad peoples, none of which travel together in large groups or seek to establish systems of government or claim territory amongst the rugged peaks. *Mt. Kailas - *Mt. Seir - *Timoris Cape - Luzon The western peninsula and eponymous nation that inhabits it. Luzon is by far the most resource-rich area of the world, with many cities sprawled across lush grassland and higher levels of plains. The capital city, Rhine, lies nearly at the tip of the peninsula, where the grand Waimea River empties into the sea. Luzon's government is a balance between the top military General and the selected Celebrant of the state religion, Virga. Luzon always seems to be spared the weather-related anomalies that afflict the rest of the continent, blessed with adequate but not overbearing rainfall. Adherents to the Virga religion attribute their fortune to a protective deity, and regard their nation as superior to the others. *Rhine - The capital city of Luzon, which lies nearly at the tip of the peninsula, where the grand Waimea River empties into the sea. The city is most famous for the numerous majestic churches of Virga that adorn the cityscape. *Rhodes - A small city on the northern shore of the peninsula, lying closer to Ilocos than any other major Luzon settlement. While Rhine may boast the highest number of religious sites in Luzon, the city of Rhodes is home to the Statue of Xen, dedicated to the prophet of that name who revealed many of the teachings and miracles of Virga to Luzon. It is a popular pilgrimage destination for many of the faithful. *Iconia - *Statue of Xen - *The Teardrops - Visaya The southeastern peninsula and eponymous nation that inhabits it. Visaya is an arid land, built upon once vibrant riverbeds that have mostly decayed into desert. Visaya's government is an absolute monarchy, currently ruled by the Lute nobility, a large family that centers power in the King and Queen but also assigns responsibilities to extended relatives. The populace has little reason to believe in the Virga faith, given that their land is starved of rain. Instead, they place their faith in the troves of oil underneath their feet and the technology recently invented to extract and refine it. *Alamere - *Onyx - *Aden - *Mausoleum of Aden - *Pasagarde Wildlife Preserve - Mindanao The northeastern peninsula and eponymous nation that inhabits it. Mindanao is a country shrouded almost constantly in a fine mist, with common bouts of heavy rain and thunderstorms. Its government is likewise shrouded in secrecy; it is controlled by an authoritarian figure who took power in a recent coup. Very few leave and enter the country, dissuaded by the state and the constant, driving precipitation. Natives are easily identified by the hoods they wear that cover their foreheads and the back of their head as a barrier to the rain. Those who do flee usually risk taking to the rough seas in small boats in the hopes of reaching the shores of Visaya, to the south. *Iguazu - *Honu - *Limu - *Moana - *Kuhui - *Temple of the Clouds - Ocean The seas separating the three peninsulas are rough and unpredictable, frustrating naval transportation and forcing most commuters between them to pass by land through Ilocos. *Sea of Tranquility - Lies between Luzon and Mindanao. Ironically named, the Sea of Tranquility is sometimes calm and seemingly navigable, but prone to sudden wind shifts and the occasional waterspout. Because of its schizophrenic nature, few dare to sail it. *Sea of Vapors - Lies between Mindanao and Visaya. The mist that blankets Mindano extends over much of the Sea of Vapors, obscuring vision and rendering approach to the northeast peninsula from the south nearly impossible. The fog is a blessing and a curse to refugees fleeing Mindanao to the south: it conceals them from authorities, yet renders natural dangers like approaching waves and the rocky shores of Timoris Cape invisible until it is too late. *Sea of Storms - Lies between Visaya and Luzon. This stretch of water is almost constantly assaulted by black thunderclouds. Many a shipwreck lies at the bottom of this sea, the victim of a stray lightning bolt. It is also notable for having no charted islands within it, unlike the Sea of Tranquility or Vapors.